Donald Duane Nelson

Donald D. Nelson passed away on May 1, 2025, in an Adult Foster Care Home in Portland, OR after many years of battling an Alzheimer’s-like illness.

Born on May 21, 1943, in Marshalltown, IA, Don spent his early years developing a love for golf as he caddied at the Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown. However, by the time he was ready for high school, it was apparent that his 6’ 5” frame had the makings of a great basketball player! He truly experienced the quintessential basketball career, leading the Marshalltown Bobcats to win two State Championships (1960 and 1961)! In addition, he was named to 1st Team All-State (1960 and 1961) and 1st Team All-CIC Conference (1960 and 1961), he was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys Basketball Stars of All Time (2018). After 1961, his jersey was sort of retired, but in 2023 (after realizing it had never been completed) Bobcat Jersey #33 was officially retired!

After high school, Don attended Drake and Northern Illinois, playing basketball and studying to be a physical therapist. He then earned his Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy at the University of Iowa. He started his PT career in a hospital setting, but in 1984 he and his family relocated to Phoenix, AZ where he developed and co-owned “Arizona Contract Physical Therapists”. For more than 20 years he provided home health PT to thousands of individuals throughout Arizona. In 2005, he and his wife moved to Portland, OR and retired.

To those that knew and loved him, Don was a very sweet, humble, considerate person that never said a mean thing about anyone! Even from a young age there was no denying he was something special! While Don was busy winning state championships, a local sportswriter took the time to write a non-sports-related article about “The Nice Guy” in the Marshalltown Times Republican. A copy of the article is included here but can also be viewed online (where you can enlarge it for easier reading). Please visit: https://bit.ly/DonNelson33

Don is survived by his wife (and high school sweetheart) Janet (Koehler) Nelson, his two children, David Nelson and Amy Nelson and his sister Donna (Nelson) Schindler all residing near Portland, Oregon. He is also survived by many extended family members throughout the Midwest.

No services will be held. His celebration of life will be a private function for his family. Memorials may be made to a charity of your choosing. Or, go have some fun in his honor! Grab a friend or two and go hit a bucket of golf balls… have a stack of blueberry pancakes … or head to your favorite Japanese restaurant for some “stucco chicken”! Don loved teriyaki chicken but could never remember the name! Teriyaki made him think of terra cotta, which made him think of adobe which made him think of stucco! So… stucco chicken it will always be!

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